2021–2022 CATALOG AND STUDENT HANDBOOK GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE SELECTIONS GENERAL EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY General Education courses at Rasmussen University enhance and support a student’s chosen field of study and teach universal skills that can be applied to any career or life experience. General Education courses foster lifelong learning and curiosity. Exposure to diverse perspectives helps students find their place in the context of the larger world. Communication Communication is the study of how people share information, ideas, meaning, and culture. In the area of Communication, students will demonstrate understanding and application of research skills. They will also demonstrate effective verbal, nonverbal, and visual skills for multiple purposes and effective techniques for solving conflicts. Courses in this category provide students with practical learning experiences that can be applied to the real world. English Composition English Composition is the study of rhetoric and writing with an emphasis on incorporating research and analysis. In the area of English Composition, students will demonstrate understanding and application of audience awareness, research skills, and academic writing. Courses in this category provide students with learning experiences that include identifying and evaluating source material to integrate into organized academic writing. Humanities Humanities is the study of human culture and expression around the globe. In the area of Humanities, students will demonstrate understanding and application of knowledge that provides a historical glimpse into a broader human perspective. Courses in this category provide students with learning experiences that include gaining knowledge of the arts and developing a global outlook. Mathematics Mathematics is the study of numerical relationships, geometrical and spatial properties, quantitative reasoning, and logic. In the area of Mathematics, students will demonstrate basic math skills and apply quantitative reasoning. Courses in this category provide students with learning experiences that include practical application of mathematical concepts. Natural Sciences Natural Sciences is the study of the physical world and how life works. In the area of Natural Sciences, students will demonstrate understanding of the natural world, its processes, and the inter-relationships of its systems. Students will apply the scientific method to find answers, prove or disprove hypotheses, analyze claims, and discover facts. Courses in this category provide students with learning experiences that include exploration of the world around them. Social Sciences Social Sciences are the study of human society and behaviors, cause and effect, and limited resources encountered by consumers within a society. In the area of Social Science, students will demonstrate an understanding of human behavior, historical events, cultural and societal differences, consumer behavior, and the inter-workings of an economy. Courses in this category provide students with learning experiences that include analyzing and interpreting of data and evaluating society as a whole. GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR RASMUSSEN UNIVERSITY Bachelor’s degree candidates must successfully complete at least twenty-four (24) upper-division General Education credits beyond the lower-division credits required in an associate’s degree (see program page for specific requirements). Upper-division courses have course numbers in the 3000s and 4000s, and lower-division courses have course numbers in the 1000s and 2000s. Bachelor’s degree upper-division General Education credits should be distributed across the following categories: Communication, Humanities, Math / Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Associate’s degree candidates must successfully complete at least thirty-two (32) credits of General Education coursework distributed across the following categories: English Composition, Communication, Humanities, Math / Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences (see program page for specific requirements). Diploma programs include General Education courses as designated by program. Certificate programs may not include General Education courses because they are career-focused. Developmental Education courses do not count toward General Education requirements (or major and core requirements) in any program. ALL CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY ADDENDUM 89
